Strawberry Biscuit Shortcake

This Strawberry Biscuit Shortcake is going to be such a hit this berry season! This recipe is perfect for the strawberry lover in your life (especially if that's you)!

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This Strawberry Biscuit Shortcake has tender strawberry biscuits topped with vanilla bean whipped cream and juicy strawberries! This recipe is easy to whip up, and the perfect way to enjoy berry season!

If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Blueberry Shortcake, Apple Shortcake, and Strawberry Filled Cupcakes!

Ingredients

All of the ingredients for these shortcakes are easily found at your local grocery store. You likely have most of them in your refrigerator and pantry already! Measurements for each of the ingredients are included in the recipe card, below.

Strawberry Biscuit Ingredients

• Flour - Provides structure for the biscuits. I used all-purpose flour.
• Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the biscuits soft and moist.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda - Provide leavening for the biscuits.
• Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the biscuits.
• Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. Unsalted so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe. You want your butter to be diced and cold.
• Buttermilk - For flavor, richness, and moisture. Biscuits made with buttermilk will always be sooo soft and fluffy! (Check out the Substitutions section below for a quick substitution if you don't have any on-hand!) You want your buttermilk to be cold.
• Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor, and it leave lovely specks of vanilla bean in your biscuits! If you prefer not to use vanilla bean paste, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract instead.
• Strawberries - For lovely flavor!

Hint: No buttermilk? Check out the "Substitution" section below or the recipe notes for a quick substitution!

Topping Ingredients

• Heavy (Whipping) Cream - Can't make whipped cream without it! 😀
• Powdered Sugar - For sweetness. I prefer using powdered sugar because it dissolves so well, and because the small amount of cornstarch in powdered sugar helps the whipped cream to hold its shape for longer.
• Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor.
• Strawberries - For flavor. Fresh strawberries work best. Of course, strawberries pair well with other berries, too, so feel free to use others! Also lovely with stone fruits!

Instructions

Here's how to make this recipe, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

1. Cut the cold, diced butter into the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) until the largest pieces are about the size of a pea.
2. Add buttermilk, vanilla bean paste, and chopped strawberries and mix until just combined.
3. Gather the dough and pat out on a floured surface.
4. Cut biscuits and place on baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, then bake until golden. Cool completely.
5. Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste to soft peaks.
6. Split biscuits. Top bottom half with whipped cream and berries, then the top half of the biscuit.

Tip: You want to keep your ingredients as cold as possible as you make the biscuits! The cold butter will steam and give the biscuits better height when baked. The cream should also be cold so that it whips up fluffy .

Substitutions

Here are a few quick substitutions that you can make with this recipe:

• Instead of Buttermilk: No buttermilk on-hand? Pour 1 teaspoon vinegar OR lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup, then add enough milk (I find that 2% milkfat or greater works best) to come up to the 1 cup line. Let sit for 5 minutes, then it's ready for use!
• Instead of Vanilla Bean Paste: If you can't find vanilla bean paste or prefer not to use it, you can instead substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract.

Variations

There are several delicious variations that can be made to this recipe:

• Change the fruit - the strawberry biscuits will pair well with raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, too, so feel free to mix-and-match your berries to your preference or what looks good at your local farmer's market. It's fantastic with stone fruits, too!
• Change the flavor of the biscuits - while I love the strawberry biscuits, you could leave them, plain, add lemon or orange zest, or make my Lavender Biscuits instead!
• Swap the whipped cream - for a slightly different flavor profile and texture, swap the whipped cream with greek yogurt (vanilla bean would be fantastic!) or lemon curd.

Equipment

While not all of this equipment is strictly necessary, here are some things that I used to make this recipe:

• Pastry Blender - While a pastry blender isn't necessary to cut in the butter (a fork will also work), it does make the job faster and easier.
• Bowl Scraper - I like using a bowl scraper to work the dough because its flexible shape makes the job much easier, and keeps your hands warming the butter as it comes together. They're easy to store and easy on the wallet! 
• Biscuit Cutter - I used a 2.5" fluted cutter for my biscuits.
• Parchment Paper - I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.

Storage

Assembled shortcakes should be served immediately.

Once completely cool, you can store the biscuits in an airtight container for one day on your counter. That said, they're definitely best right after they're baked, as the fresh strawberries make the biscuits soggy over time. For this reason, I don't recommend freezing them.

Whipped cream can be made up to one day in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but for best results, make it just before you plan to serve the shortcakes.

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